Impedance measuring device for biological samples and impedance measuring system for biological samples

• US 9,952,168 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2013
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Brun, Marcaurele, Sato, Kazumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Sines, Brian J.
• Application Number:
  US14/761,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 422 50, 422 681, 422 63, 422 72, 422 73, 422 8201, 436 69, 436 66, 436 43, 436149
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/02 by investigating impedance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/021 before and after chemical transformation of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/49 Blood chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4905 Determining clotting time of blood by chemical methods G01N33/86, C12Q1/54

Abstract

Provided is an impedance measuring device for biological samples including one or a plurality of biological sample holding units configured to hold a biological sample, an applying unit configured to apply an AC voltage to a pair of electrodes in contact with the biological sample held by the biological sample holding unit, a measuring unit configured to measure an impedance of the biological sample obtained by an AC voltage being applied to the biological sample by the applying unit, and a measurement condition control unit configured to control a measuring time and/or a measuring frequency in the measuring unit.

Claims

1. A method of operating an impedance measuring device for biological samples comprising:

applying an AC voltage to a pair of electrodes connected to a biological sample holding unit;

measuring an impedance of a biological sample by applying an AC voltage to the pair of electrodes;

controlling a measuring time and/or a measuring frequency when applying the AC voltage; and

calibrating the impedance measuring device based on an electrical connection between the pair of electrodes.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in control of the measuring time, a measuring interval is controlled.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in control of the measuring time, a timing of measurement completion is controlled.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling a temperature in the biological sample holding unit.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the biological sample holding unit, the biological sample is held by holding a container in which the biological sample is stored.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising supplying, by a biological sample supplying unit, the biological sample to the biological sample holding unit automatically.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising supplying, by a drug supplying unit, one or more kinds of drugs to the biological sample holding unit automatically.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein one or more kinds of drug are stored in the container beforehand.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the biological sample contains a blood component.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising analyzing a condition change of blood from a temporal change of the measured impedance.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the calibrating of the impedance measuring device is executed in response to detecting an abnormality of the impedance measuring device.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising moving, by a driving mechanism, the biological sample holding unit.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the driving mechanism moves the biological sample holding unit in a direction that changes a direction of gravity applied to the biological sample held by the biological sample holding unit.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising stirring the biological sample by a stirring mechanism that is configured to perform stirring in the biological sample holding unit.

15. A method of measuring impedance for biological samples with an impedance measuring system, the method comprising:

holding one or a plurality of biological samples in one or a plurality of biological sample holding units;

applying an AC voltage to a pair of electrodes in contact with a first biological sample held by a first biological sample holding unit of the one or a plurality of biological sample holding units;

measuring an impedance of the first biological sample based on the AC voltage applied to the pair of electrodes;

controlling a measuring time and/or a measuring frequency when applying the AC voltage;

calibrating the impedance measuring system based on an electrical connection between the pair of electrodes;

displaying impedance data that is representative of an impedance measured based on the applied AC voltage; and

displaying a user interface for a user'"'"'s operation.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising storing, in a memory unit, at least some of the impedance data.